The British steamship Lusitania is shown here departing from New York on its last trip in 1915. During this voyage a German submarine torpedoed the ship off the Irish coast, causing it to sink in 20 minutes; all 1198 people on board perished. The Germans claimed the ship was carrying arms, a charge Britain and the United States denied. The sinking became pivotal in changing U.S. attitudes toward the war in Europe, and was a major factor in America's decision to enter World War I.
Causes of World War I
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War I War Hawks and Women's Suffrage
German submarines, or U-boats, blockaded the British Isles in February 1915. They took a heavy toll on Allied ships and became the terror of the seas. In May, a German U-boat torpedoed a British passenger liner, the Lusitania. It sank in less than 20 minutes off the southern coast of Ireland, killing 1198 passengers, including 128 Americans.
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